Haryanto seeded 3rd in Taipei Open

JAKARTA (JP): Former national number one shuttler Haryanto Arby is seeded third in the Chinese Taipei Open, the opening Grand Prix of the year, despite carrying an injury.

An International Badminton Federation release stated that Haryanto, nicknamed Hari, received a bye in the opening round and will face Malaysia's Ng Kean Kok in the second round of the tournament scheduled for Jan. 7 to Jan. 12.

Hari injured his back in the Thomas Cup championship in Hong Kong in May. Only one month after he recovered, he injured his right leg in the National Games in September. He had to rest for about three months and missed the World Cup Badminton Championship here in December.

The 24-year-old shuttler is expected to meet top seed Fung Permadi, an Indonesian shuttler who plays for Taipei, or Hendrawan of Indonesia if he manages to reach the third round.

Hendrawan also received a bye in the opening round and will meet another Malaysian, Katharopham Ponniah, in the second round.

Old hand compatriot Hermawan Susanto is to meet Liu En Hong of Taipei in the second round.

Junior Salim, seeded fifth, is to challenge Lee Mie Chow of Taipei while teammate Marleve Mainaky faces Kenneth Johanssen of Denmark, seeded ninth, in his opening match.

Salim is expected to challenge second seeded Poul-Erik Hoyer- Larsen of Denmark, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, in the quarterfinals.

In the women's singles, Mia Audina is the only national shuttler playing after Susi Susanti, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist, withdrew from the tournament to prepare for her marriage next month to shuttler Alan Budikusuma, who won the men's singles gold medal in the 1992 Olympics.

Mia, the first seed in the tournament, faces Lim Amparo of the Philippines in her first match.

Mia will have to overcome the experienced Camilla Martin of Denmark, the second seed, to win the tournament.

Olympic gold medalists Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky are the first seeds while compatriots Antonius/Denny Kantono, Olympic bronze medalists, are the second seeds. Indonesia has also sent the new pair of Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto.

Etti Tantri/Cintya and Nonong/Carmelita are to represent the country in the women's doubles while the newly formed partnerships of Sandiarto/Finarsih and Imam Tohari/Emma Ermawati will compete in mixed doubles. (yan)